A mother-daughter duo, Mildrey Gonzalez and Milka Alfaro, who secretly co-owned and operated seven home health care agencies in the Miami area, have been sentenced to over 10 years in prison for their roles in a $20 million Medicare fraud conspiracy.
The scheme, which involved paying illegal health care kickbacks to patient recruiters and medical professionals, was uncovered by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General.
Gonzalez, 61, and Alfaro, 39, both of Miami, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez of the Southern District of Florida to 135 and 151 months in prison, respectively.
The defendants were further ordered to pay approximately $22,900,000 in joint and several restitution. Gonzalez and Alfaro each pleaded guilty on March 2, having been charged in a July 2016 superseding indictment.
The scheme involved paying illegal health care kickbacks to patient recruiters, bribes and kickbacks to medical professionals, and funneling millions of dollars’ worth of fraud proceeds into shell corporations.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and HHS-OIG. Former Fraud Section Trial Attorney and current Southern District of Florida Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa H. Miller and Fraud Section Trial Attorney L. Rush Atkinson prosecuted the case.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force, led by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, has charged nearly 2,300 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $7 billion since its inception in March 2007.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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